Plan for Love
by Skye Crisanto
Summary: Cal finally admitted his love for Gillian to Emily, but will Gillian do the same?
1. Chapter 1

Emily smiled. Her dad had finally admitted his love for the woman that was like a second mother to Emily. And that was 'bloody brilliant' as Cal would say.

So as she sat on the couch with her Dad, they were both staring into space, Cal thinking about what he had just said, and how much he meant it, and Emily thinking up a way to get Gillian to admit the same thing.

* * *

It was a Monday morning at the Lightman Group offices. Gillian was sitting in her office, facing the large glass window. She was still grieving over Claire's death, but had insisted on coming back to work, if only to keep her busy. As she looked out into the cold morning, she heard someone enter. Spinning back around, she was surprised to see Emily.

"Hi Gillian!" Emily said happily, giving her a small wave.

"Hey Emily." Gillian gave her a weak smile. Emily's grin dropped immediately. Gillian was obviously still very upset.

"I just wanted to come and see how you were." She explained, then reached into her bag and took out a box of chocolates. "And to give you a distraction."

Gillian did smile a little at that. Emily was so willing to help others, especially those she loved. And Gillian felt honoured to be one of those.

"So, how are you?" the girl continued. Gillian pondered what to say for a moment, and then settled on giving her the truth.

"Honestly? I feel terrible. She was young and talented and had her whole life ahead of her." The sentence was meant to come out calmly, but instead she ended up blurting it out and tripping up over her words. Gillian was kind of glad to get it out, but then felt guilty that it was the young girl she had said it to. Emily however, looked relieved.

"I'm glad you told me the truth, I thought you going to say 'I'm fine' and all that crap."

"Emily!"

"What? I'm not 8, I can use the word crap! Anyway, thanks for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome. Thanks for not being like your dad and freaking out if I say I'm a tiny bit worried or scared."

"You're welcome too. If you think he's being over-protective, it's just because he loves you. I mean, he does it to me too." Emily was quite proud of herself at how easily she had slipped that in there.

"Yes, well I know he means well so I can put up with it." Gillian opened the box of chocolates, and read the little card saying what was in there before choosing one. She then offered the box to Emily, who shook her head.

"No thanks, I've got to go now anyway, I have to get to school."

"Okay, bye Emily."

Emily left the room, a little smile playing on her lips. She was hoping to subtly, bit by bit, get Gillian to reveal how she really felt about Cal, and now the plan was set in motion. Back inside the office, Gillian was carefully picking another chocolate, feeling a little bit better, and hoping today was going to be a good one.


	2. Chapter 2

After Emily had got home from school that day, she dumped her bag just inside the door and ran into the kitchen to find her dad making a cup of tea.

"Want one, Em?" he said, looking up at her.

"Yes please." She said. "So?"

"So what?" he asked, confused.

"Did you tell her?"

"Tell who- oh." Realisation dawned on Cal's face as he remembered the other night. "I told you I loved her, Em. Didn't say I was gonna tell her."

Emily's face fell, and she slumped against the kitchen counter.

"But why not, Dad?" she moaned, annoyed at the fact her father wouldn't man up and tell Gillian.

"Because, Em, I don't want to."

"What would you say if I told you that she told me that she loves you?" Emily blurted in one breath.

"I'd say you're lying, because I can see it in your face."

"But if it were true?"  
"I still wouldn't believe it." Cal said in a much more serious and sad voice. "She doesn't deserve, or want a man like me. An arrogant, proud, annoying, irritating, chatty, infuriating, mess of a businessman and partner; no, she doesn't want someone like me."

"I don't think she thinks of you like that."

"Hm."

"I think she thinks of you as arrogant, but not too much, proud of your family and work, annoying, but who isn't, irritating, again, who isn't sometimes, chatty when you're happy, infuriating, not always; and she definitely does** not **think you are mess, of a business man, partner, or friend."

"Wow, Em, anyone would think you'd written that beforehand."

"It's just the truth, Dad."

Emily took her tea from her father and led the way into the living room. They sat down on the same sofa they had been on when they had had the chat the other night. Emily took a quick sip of her tea then put it on the table, whilst Cal took a long swig and kept his hands tightly wrapped around the mug.

"Dad, you two have been dancing around each other ever since you first met, and you cannot deny that."

"Em, why are you so interested in this?"

Emily laughed at how obvious her Dad's deflection was. You do pick up some things being a famous lie detectors daughter.

"First, classic deflection." She said, picking up her tea again. After taking a sip, she continued. "Second, I want you two to get together because I want you to be happy, and it's so obvious how happy you are with each other. And you already argue like a married couple."

"Oi!" Cal exclaimed, taking a little swipe at Emily, and tapping her on the head. When he thought about it though, he supposed it was true, and his heart was delighted at that thought.

"So, back to the big question," Emily carried on, snapping him out of his thoughts, "Are you gonna tell her?"

Cal thought about it. He was going to have to word this very carefully, because he knew Emily was going to hold him to it.

"I think so," he finally said, causing Emily to let out a shriek of delight. "When I, and I mean I, Em, think the time is right. And when I know that she feels the same way. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"Believe me Dad, you're already **way **over the friendship line." Emily answered. As she continued to chat to her dad about her school grades, the cogs were turning in her brain. Now it was even more important she got Gillian to admit her love for Cal. Good thing she had a plan.


End file.
